Project: MicroDrink - Capacity building for management and governance of MICROplastics in DRINKing water resources of Danube Region

The Faculty of Mining and Geology, is one of 11 participants in the project “MicroDrink - Capacity building for management and governance of MICROplastics in DRINKing water resources of Danube Region” co-funded by the European Union, approved in the first call of the The Interreg Danube Region Programme (DRP) 2021-2027. The implementation of the project began on 1.1.2024, and the Croatian Geological Institute (HGI) has the role of project leader. During the planned duration of 30 months, 11 project partners (https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/microdrink/about-us) will be engaged in researching the growing and ubiquitous problem of microplastics in water resources used for water supply. Techniques such as FTIR and Raman spectroscopy are among the most commonly used due to their ability to provide detailed analysis and identification of plastic polymers. However, these methods come with drawbacks, including high costs, the need for specialized training, and their time-intensive nature. Other techniques, such as Py-GCMS and SEM, are also utilized, but their availability and use largely depend on the resources and priorities of each country. The MicroDrink project will contribute to the standardization of sampling and analysis methods, as well as to the strengthening of cooperation between public administrations, water supply companies and the scientific community, as well as to the improvement of relations between the countries of the Danube region. Among the several issues, one of the critical ones is a lack of standardization across the region, with some countries having modern and state-of-the-art equipment while the others are still in the process of building their capacity. The research on the presence of microplastics in drinking water resources will be carried out in 9 pilot areas in all 8 countries. The project partnership created an online database with a comprehensive overview of sampling methods, laboratory instruments and analytical procedures, and will create tool to assist in decision-making in case of risk of increased microplastic content in water supply systems.